Robert J. Colville

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Robert J. Colville
Image of Robert J. Colville

Nonpartisan

United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
Tenure

2019 - Present

Years in position

5

Prior offices
Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas

Education

Bachelor's

Pennsylvania State University, 1989

Law

Duquesne University, 1992


Robert J. Colville is a judge on the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. He was nominated to the court by President Donald Trump (R) on March 5, 2019, and confirmed by the United States Senate on December 19, 2019, by a vote of 66-27.[1][2] He received commission on December 31, 2019.[3] To see a full list of judges appointed by Donald Trump, click here.

On July 30, 2015, President Barack Obama (D) nominated Colville to the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.[4] On January 3, 2017, Colville's nomination was returned to President Obama at the sine die adjournment of the 114th Congress.[5]

The United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania is one of 94 U.S. district courts. They are the general trial courts of the United States federal courts. To learn more about the court, click here.

Colville was a judge of the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas in Pennsylvania from 2000 to 2019. His father, Robert E. Colville, was also a judge in Pennsylvania.[6]

Colville ran for election to the Pennsylvania Superior Court in 2015 but was defeated in the Democratic primary on May 19, 2015.[7]

Judicial nominations and appointments

U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania (2019-present)

See also: Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump

Colville was nominated to the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania on March 5, 2019. The U.S. Senate confirmed Colville on December 19, 2019, by a vote of 66-27.[1] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.

Nomination Tracker
Fedbadgesmall.png
Nominee Information
Name: Robert J. Colville
Court: United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
Progress
Confirmed 289 days after nomination.
ApprovedANominated: March 5, 2019
ApprovedAABA Rating: Unanimously well qualified
Questionnaire: Questionnaire
ApprovedAHearing: N/A
Hearing Transcript: [N/A Hearing Transcript]
QFRs: (2015) QFRs (Hover over QFRs to read more)
ApprovedAReported: May 9, 2019 
ApprovedAConfirmed: December 19, 2019
ApprovedAVote: 66-27

Confirmation vote

The U.S. Senate confirmed Colville on December 19, 2019, on a vote of 66-27.[2] To see a full breakdown of the vote on the official U.S. Senate website, click here.

Colville confirmation vote (December 19, 2019)
Party Yea Nay No vote
Electiondot.png Democratic 41 0 4
Ends.png Republican 24 27 2
Grey.png Independent 1 0 1
Total 66 27 7
Change in Senate rules
See also:
Filibuster and reconciliation in the United States Congress
Federal judges nominated by Donald Trump
United States federal courts

Colville was confirmed to a U.S. District Court under a new precedent the Senate established.

On April 3, 2019, the U.S. Senate voted 51-48 in favor of a change to chamber precedent lowering the maximum time allowed for debate on executive nominees to posts below the Cabinet level and on nominees to district court judgeships from 30 hours after invoking cloture to two.[8]

The change was passed under a procedure, often referred to as the nuclear option, that requires 51 votes rather than 60.[9]

It was the third use of the nuclear option in Senate history. In 2013, it was used to eliminate the 60-vote threshold to confirm presidential nominees, except those to the Supreme Court. In 2017, it was used to eliminate the 60-vote threshold required to confirm Supreme Court nominees.[10] For more, see Filibuster and reconciliation in the United States Congress.


Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

The Senate Judiciary Committee reported Colville to the full Senate on May 9, 2019, on a 15-7 committee vote.[11]

Nomination

On March 1, 2019, President Donald Trump (R) announced his intent to nominate Colville to the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.[12] The U.S. Senate officially received the nomination on March 5, 2019.[1]

Colville was nominated to succeed Judge Arthur Schwab, who assumed senior status on January 1, 2018.[1]

The American Bar Association unanimously rated Colville well qualified for the position.[13] To read more about ABA ratings, click here.

U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, nomination (2015-2017)

See also: Federal judges nominated by Barack Obama

President Barack Obama (D) nominated Colville to be an Article III federal judge on the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania on July 30, 2015.[4] To read more about the federal nominations process, click here.

Senate Judiciary Committee hearing

Colville's hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee was held on December 9, 2015.[14]

Nomination

Colville was nominated to succeed Judge Gary Lancaster, who died on April 24, 2013. On January 3, 2017, Colville's nomination was returned to President Obama at the sine die adjournment of the 114th Congress.[5]

The American Bar Association rated Colville as well qualified by a substantial majority and qualified by a minority.[15]

Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas (2000-2019)

Colville was first elected to the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas in Pennsylvania in 1999.[16] He took office in 2000.[17]

Colville was assigned to the juvenile division fom 2000 to 2002. He served in the family division from 2002 to 2003 and in 2004 he was transferred to the general civil trial court.[17][18]

As of 2013, as a Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas judge, Colville earned $173,271 annually.[19]

Elections

2019

Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, Colville's seat

Robert J. Colville was retained to the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas on November 5, 2019 with 75.3% of the vote.

Retention
 Vote
%
Votes
✔
Yes
 
75.3
 
 157,316
No
 
24.7
 
 51,598
Total Votes
 208,914

It has been certified. Source

2015

See also: Pennsylvania judicial elections, 2015

Pennsylvania's judicial elections included a primary on May 19, 2015, and a general election on November 3, 2015. The filing deadline for candidates was March 11, 2015.

Robert J. Colville faced Alice B. Dubow in the Democratic primary.

Pennsylvania Superior Court, One seat, Democratic Primary, 2015
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.png Alice B. Dubow 57.7% 376,748
Robert J. Colville 42.3% 276,330
Write-in votes 0% 0
Total Votes 653,078
Source: Pennsylvania Department of State, "2015 Municipal Primary Unofficial Results," May 19, 2015

2009

Colville ran unsuccessfully for a seat on the superior court in 2009.[20][21][22][23] [24]

Candidate IncumbentPartyPrimary %Election %
Supreme-Court-Elections-badge.png
Judith Olson ApprovedA NoRepublican37.1%15%
Sallie Mundy ApprovedA NoRepublican33.5%13.7%
Paula Ott ApprovedA NoRepublican12.7%
Anne Lazarus ApprovedA NoDemocratic11.4%
Robert J. Colville NoDemocratic11.4%
Templeton Smith NoRepublican29.3%11.4%
Kevin McCarthy NoDemocratic11.2%
Teresa Sarmina NoDemocratic10.9%
Marakay Rogers NoLibertarian2%


Campaign themes

2019

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also: Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Robert J. Colville did not complete Ballotpedia's 2019 Candidate Connection survey.

Education

Colville earned his undergraduate degree from Pennsylvania State University in 1989 and his J.D. from Duquesne University in 1992.[25]

Professional career

Awards and associations

Awards

  • 2017: Recognition as Fellow of the Allegheny County Bar Foundation
  • 2014: Outstanding Ten Years' Service on Faculty, LaRoche College
  • 2011: Recognition for Seven Years as Officer and President, Pennsylvania Conference of State Trial Judges
  • 2002: Recognition for Seven Years of Service on Juvenile Court Procedural Rules Committee Pennsylvania Supreme Court[17]

Associations

  • Member, Allegheny County Bar Association
  • Member, National Conference of State Trial Judges
  • 2004-2011: Pennsylvania Conference of State Trial Judges
    • 2010-2011: Immediate past president
    • 2009-2010: President
    • 2008-2009: President elect
    • 2007-2008: First vice president
    • 2006-2007: Second vice president
    • 2005-2006: Treasurer
    • 2004-2005: Secretary
  • 1992-2011: Member, Pennsylvania Bar Association
  • 1992-2011: Member, American Bar Association
  • 1999-2002: Board member, Brighton Heights Citizens Federation
  • 1994-2000: Member, Pennsylvania Bar Institute
  • 1994-2000: Member, Defense Research Institute
  • 1994-2000: Member, Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association
  • 1994-2000: Member, Western Pennsylvania Federal Bar Association[17]

About the court

Western District of Pennsylvania
Third Circuit
Western-District-Pennsylvania-Seal.png
Judgeships
Posts: 10
Judges: 10
Vacancies: 0
Judges
Chief: Mark Raymond Hornak
Active judges:
Susan Baxter, Cathy Bissoon, Robert J. Colville, Stephanie Haines, William Scott Hardy, Marilyn J. Horan, Mark Raymond Hornak, J. Nicholas Ranjan, William Shaw Stickman IV, Christy Wiegand

Senior judges:
David Cercone, Joy Conti, Nora Fischer, Kim Gibson, Arthur Schwab


The United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania is one of 94 United States district courts.

When decisions of the court are appealed, they are appealed to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit based in downtown Philadelphia at the James Byrne Courthouse.

The Western District of Pennsylvania has original jurisdiction over cases filed within its jurisdiction. These cases can include civil and criminal matters that fall under federal law.

The geographic jurisdiction of the Western District of Pennsylvania consists of all the following counties in the western part of the state of Pennsylvania.

To read opinions published by this court, click here.

The federal nomination process

Federal judges are nominated by the president of the United States and confirmed by the Senate. There are multiple steps to the process:

  • The president nominates an individual for a judicial seat.
  • The nominee fills out a questionnaire and is reviewed by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
  • The Senate Judiciary Committee holds a hearing with the nominee, questioning them about things like their judicial philosophy, past rulings or opinions, etc.
  • As part of this process, the committee sends a blue slip to senators from the home state in which the judicial nomination was received, allowing them to express their approval or disapproval of the nominee.
  • After the hearing, the Senate Judiciary Committee will vote to approve or return the nominee.
  • If approved, the nominee is voted on by the full Senate.
  • If the Committee votes to return the nominee to the president, the president has the opportunity to re-nominate the individual.
  • The Senate holds a vote on the candidate.
  • If the Senate confirms the nomination, the nominee receives a commission to serve a lifelong position as a federal judge.
  • If the Senate does not confirm the nomination, that nominee does not become a judge.


See also

External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Congress.gov, "PN450 — Robert J. Colville — The Judiciary," accessed April 16, 2019
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Congress.gov, "PN450 — Robert J. Colville — The Judiciary," accessed December 19, 2019
  3. ↑ Federal Judicial Center, "Colville, Robert John," accessed January 1, 2020
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 The White House, "President Obama Nominates Seven to Serve on the United States District Courts," July 30, 2015
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 United States Congress, "PN 751 — Robert John Colville — The Judiciary," accessed January 3, 2017
  6. ↑ Post-Gazette, "EDITORIAL ENDORSEMENTS - Superior picks: It's Lazarus, Colville and Younge for the Democrats," May 11, 2009
  7. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named election2015
  8. ↑ The Hill, "GOP triggers 'nuclear option' to speed up Trump picks," April 3, 2019
  9. ↑ Axios, "Senate GOP invokes 'nuclear option' to speed up confirmations of Trump nominees," April 3, 2019
  10. ↑ NBC News, "McConnell to use 'nuclear option' to confirm lower-level nominees," April 2, 2019
  11. ↑ U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, "Results of the Executive Business Meeting," May 9, 2019
  12. ↑ The White House, "President Donald J. Trump Announces Judicial Nominees, a United States Attorney Nominee, and United States Marshal Nominees," March 1, 2019
  13. ↑ American Bar Association, "Ratings of Article III and Article IV judicial nominees," accessed May 20, 2019
  14. ↑ Senate Judiciary Committee, "Nominations," December 9, 2015
  15. ↑ American Bar Association, "RATINGS OF ARTICLE III JUDICIAL NOMINEES, 114th Congress," accessed December 15, 2015
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Smartvoter.org, "Full Biography for Robert J. Colville," accessed June 28, 2013
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 17.4 U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary, "Questionnaire for judicial nominees," accessed May 20, 2019
  18. ↑ Pennsylvania Bar Association, "Pennsylvania Bar Association Judicial Evaluation Commission Releases 2015 Judicial Ratings," January 28, 2015
  19. ↑ The Pennsylvania Code, "§ 211.2. Judicial salaries effective January 1, 2013," accessed June 28, 2013
  20. ↑ Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, "Women begin to dominate state appellate courts," November 5, 2009
  21. ↑ Blairsville Dispatch, "Judicial recount will cost Indiana County big bucks," November 20, 2009
  22. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of State, "2009 Municipal Election - Judge of the Superior Court"
  23. ↑ Philly.com, "Lazarus confirmed Superior Court winner in recount," December 1, 2009
  24. ↑ Pennsylvania Department of State, "2009 Municipal Election, Judge of the Superior Court results"
  25. ↑ Martindale, "Robert John Colville - Lawyer Profile," accessed June 28, 2013

Political offices
Preceded by
- 		United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
2019-Present		 Succeeded by
-
Preceded by
- 		Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas
2000-2019		 Succeeded by
-


Pennsylvania courts

Federal courts:

Third Circuit Court of Appeals • U.S. District Court: Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Middle District of Pennsylvania, Western District of Pennsylvania • U.S. Bankruptcy Court: Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Middle District of Pennsylvania, Western District of Pennsylvania

State courts:

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania • Pennsylvania Superior Court • Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court • Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas • Pennsylvania Magisterial Districts

State resources:

Courts in Pennsylvania • Pennsylvania judicial elections • Judicial selection in Pennsylvania

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